Harry Shouler

Recently we were contacted by Mr. Jason Shouler, whose father Harry served with 601 Squadron as ground crew through most of the war.  These photographs Jason found in a box, restored them and sent them along to us.  They are of particular interest because we do not a great deal of photographs from the North African campaing (these photographs cover 601's time in Italy as well) and any time we can get the perspective of the ground crew it is particulary welcomed as the were of course the working backbone behind any squadron at war in keeping the machines ready to fly. 

I have included all the photographs sent along.  Some are more 'tourist' type shots, but I think it provide a really great view of the average man at war in an exotic setting.  Harry Shouler survived the war sound of body, but it mentally took its toll.  He passed away in 1987 and we are very proud to have an opportunity to pay homage to his service in 601, and grateful to Jason for sharing them.

 

RAF Tangmere 1935




RAF Hendon 1935




Jerusalem




Group Shot - Jerusalem




Garden of Gethsemane - Reg & Harry - May 26, 1943




Garden Tomb - Reg and Harry on right




Garden Tomb




Garden Tomb




London Square, Tel Aviv - 24th May, 1943




Duo in Tel Aviv




London Square, Tel Aviv - Harry Shouler




Tel Aviv - Services Club




Haifa from Mt. Camel - Reg




Outside Solomon's Quaries, Jerusalem - Reg and Harry




Zarid Settlement - Reg on right




Reg rowing on Yarkon River - 1943




Reg with children




RAF Abu Sueir, Egypt - Officer's Mess




Tea by the Dead Sea




Trio




Another trio




Cairo




Cairo




Cairo




Cairo




Beside the Sphinx




Another




At the Great Pyramid









Collection of 'exotic' wartime fruit




Alexandria




In the desert




Men and aircraft




The men in front of one of the Spits




One they've fixed




Ajdabiya




El Alamein - 120mm




Prisoners at Matruh




Prisoners - Matruh near El Alamein




Canibalizing a truck




Flooded out in the desert





Digging out




On the way to Masus, Libya




Approaching Msus, Libya




Barce




Barce Pass




Barce, Libya on the way to Benghazi




Tobruk, Libya




Benghazi




Benghazi




Benghazi




Tocra Pass





Tocra Pass




On the way to Gambut, Libya




Hellfire Pass





Derna Pass




Rocky





Rocky




Tripoli - 38 PTC - Shouler, Boxea, Alders





601 Camped in the desert





Desert Airfield





Cpl Harry Shouler - Aircraft Engineer





Harry is in the cockpit




At work





Cpl Shouler in the cockpit




Engine work




Trying to sort it all out





Bit of a rest








AVM Cunningham arriving in a captured German Feisler Storch (with new RAF markings) - 20th Oct 1942




Sicily - Etna House - visited by 601 Squadron when on leave




Invasion barge heading from Messina to Regio





Marching












Harry Shouler




Triolo, Italy





Marcianise Airfield, Italy - Vesuvius in the background (March 1944)





Camp Marcianise, Italy - March 1944




Camp Marcianise, Italy - Group B Flight





Venafro Village from camp - 1944




Venafro, Italy - Volturno Valley (May 1944)




Venafro, Italy from Camp - 1944




Slit trench - Venafro, Italy




Group B Flight = Venafro, Italy




Harry Shouler - Venafro, Italy




Venafro, Italy - Russell




Venafro, Italy




Cpl W N Leight and Cpl H C Shouler displaying 'wind cheaters' made from JU 88 self-sealing tank covers




CWA2411




Perugia, Italy - Cpl Harry Shouler




Perugia, Italy - Gordy




King reviewing Wing 244 during visit to Perugia, Italy July 25, 1944




HM The King at Perugia Airport - July 25, 1944




HM The King, Perugia Airport




HM The King, Perugia Airport




Perugia Airfield, Italy - Oxen plowing nearby - August 1944




Perugia Airfield - King's visit - 1944




Rome




Pompei Market Place




Pompei, Italy




Monestary of St. Francis of Assisi - 1944




Italian POW ship